Energy plants on fire

Missiles in Ukraine, drone attacks on Russia

Ukrainian soldiers fire on Russian positions in the Kharkiv region with a self-propelled howitzer 2C22 "Bogdana".

(Bild: APA/AFP/Anatolii STEPANOV)

According to Ukrainian reports, Russian missiles have hit a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city. Odessa is also under fire again. Meanwhile, according to Russian reports, Kiev has used drones to set fire to power plants in Russian territories.

Sirens wailing, people taking cover and fearing for their lives - this is the sad daily routine in Ukraine. On Wednesday morning, Russian missiles struck the city of Odessa again, according to the governor Oleh Kiper. Around 30 homes were destroyed as a result.

According to the state radio station Suspilne, civilian infrastructure was also destroyed in an attack in Kharkiv. According to the mayor, Ihor Terekhov, information about casualties is still being investigated.

Russian regions increasingly under attack
The situation in Russia is also difficult - several regions have been attacked by drones. "Our region has once again become the target of a Ukrainian drone attack," said the governor of the Russian region of Smolensk, Vasily Anokhin, according to the state news agency Tass. The air defense of the Russian army was deployed. The enemy's attack on civilian energy facilities had caused fires. There were no deaths or injuries, he added later.

Videos of a major fire, which is said to have originated from a refinery in the Yartsevo district, 60 kilometers north-east of Smolensk, were circulated on social networks. Local residents reported several explosions.

According to images, an oil facility in the western Russian region of Voronezh was also hit. Huge flames can be seen shooting out of a cistern at dawn. Officially, Governor Alexander Gusev only confirmed the shooting down of four drones and a fire in a private house in a garden - allegedly caused by debris from a downed drone.

A drone attack was also reported in the Russian city of Lipetsk. A drone crashed in the industrial area and there were no casualties, Tass reported, citing the governor of the region.

Over two years of war
Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine more than two years ago. The Russian military regularly fires on civilian objects in the hinterland. At the same time, Russian regions are also increasingly complaining about shelling from the Ukrainian side. However, the number of victims and the extent of the damage cannot be compared with the scale of the destruction caused by Russia.